MEIKLE COMMISSION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8711, 10 January 1907, Page 2

MEIKLE COMMISSION.

Per Press Association. Wellington, January 0.1? Counsel for the applicant spent most of to-day in addressing the Meiklo Commission. Counsel said tho archives of the police had been ransacked to discover evidence of offences against morality committed by Meikle, and anything that was found had been brought before the Commissioners and made tho subject of cross - examination. Insinuations of grossly immoral crimes had boon made in regard to matters which could form no proper part of the cose for the Crown: Ho (Mr Atkinson) considered ho bad a right to protest against the attitude taken up by the Crown, for it seemed doubtful whether Meikle was charged with a breach of tho seventh or eighth commandment, and as to which offonco tho commission was set up to enquire into. Mr Justice Cooper said Meikle had specifically denied in the witness-box that ho bad any intercourse with that woman, and afterwards ho had reiterated that statement.

Mr Justice Edwards said it was the part of a man to protect a woman, but hero Meikle bad blackened the woman’s character, and had sought to shift the blame from himself on to the shoulders of his own nephew.